Heart's Desire
by the blur
Summary: Jonny and Jessie have finally admitted their feelings to each other. Things are going great until they are pushed to the brink when an old acquaintance comes back to screw things up. Please R&R. STORY ON HIATUS INDEFINITELY
1. An Old Acquaintance and Returning Fears

Jonny Quest-Heart's Desire: Part I

DISCLAIMER: no own…no $$...please don't sue!

Jonny Quest awoke abnormally early for him on a Saturday morning in the summertime. The sun was just beginning to peek over the eastern horizon when Jonny threw the thin blanket covering him and peered through his window out to the cliffs hanging above the sandy beach and serene, yet lively ocean. The gentle summer breeze blew the fresh salty ocean air right to his nostrils. He inhaled the freshness that lingered in the air, then, after a slow passing moment, threw on a well-worn pair of shorts, a loose white tank top, and beach sandals and leisurely paced out to the rocky edge of the cliff just past the lighthouse. Slowly lowering himself to the ground, Jonny let his legs dangle off the edge and gazed at the breathtaking scene before him. The sunrise set fiery shades of reds, oranges, and yellows across the early morning sky and reflected off the ocean waves.

The peace and quiet of the spot and time of day gave Jonny time to himself to think. There was so much on his mind that he felt that he was nearly unable to sort out with others so close to him, even in the vastness of the Quest Compound. He couldn't stop thinking about all that had happened in his life the last couple of years, especially with Jessie. Jessica Bannon had been on Jonny's mind a lot lately, especially since the two-year anniversary of the London incident was so near. Jonny couldn't help but think about how he had nearly lost Jessie because he was too blind to Irena Kafka's trickery. He couldn't stop thinking about how he would have killed Irena if Jessie hadn't woken up. He couldn't stop thinking about what he might do if he were to ever see Irena again. Would he kill her? Would he ignore her? Would he let Jessie handle her? No, that was something he would never allow to happen. Irena could not be allowed any where near Jessie, especially alone. No, Jonny would make sure that if Jessie ever had to go through the horror of seeing Irena Kafka again, he would most definitely be with her.

_**FLASHBACK**_

Jonny and Jessie had been in London with Estella for one of her archaeology conventions. Estella's presence was mandatory, and the two teens saw this as a perfect opportunity to spend some time away from the compound without their fathers. They begged and begged their parents until the three adults finally relented, Race being the most hesitant of the three. But after seeing the puppy-dog pout come through on his daughter's face, he begrudgingly agreed. As punishment, however, for using those means to get his permission, Race pep-talked Jessie in the cockpit of the dragonfly about being careful and staying out of trouble while they were in London. Race watched with an amused expression plastered across his face as Jessie wrinkled her nose in disgust and annoyance at her father's persistence of the 'no heroics' saying that had become so cliché in their family.

When they finally arrived in London, Jonny said goodbye to Race and waved at him before catapulting himself out of the dragonfly to grab his bag from the luggage compartment. Jessie and Estella both gave Race a quick hug, said goodbye, and followed Jonny's trail out—without the jumping. After checking into their hotel, Estella gave the teens a number where she could be reached while at the convention, told them when she should be back, and went right back through the door she had entered from moments before.

Once they were unpacked, Jonny and Jessie decided to do some sight-seeing. They had been to London before, of course, but never without their fathers. Jessie's favorites were the museums, while Jonny's was "Big Ben", so they agreed to one museum and the infamous London clock. By the time they had finished at "Big Ben", it was close to 1:00 in the afternoon.

"Hey, Jess, how about some lunch? I don't know about you, but I'm **_hungry_**!" Jessie just had to laugh at the expression on Jonny's face as he clenched his arms to his stomach and keeled over in mock starvation.

"You're **_always_** hungry, Hotshot. C'mon, there's a café not far from here. We can stop there and then maybe walk the shops for a while before we have to go back to the hotel." They were nearing the café when they suddenly heard someone calling out their names. They looked over to see a pleased Irena Kafka running toward them and waving happily.

"Irena! What are you doing here?" Jonny asked the young pianist, stunned to see her here.

"Well, I'm here to play a concert at the theatre. What are you two doing here?" Before Jonny could reply, Jessie jumped in with a response.

"We're here with my mom. She had to go to an archaeology convention this weekend, and she and our dads let us come with her." Jessie replied, giving the young, sophisticated blonde in front of them a mild glare.

"Speaking of which," Jessie continued, "we had better get going, Jonny. We don't want Mom to worry." Jessie began to pull Jonny's arm in the opposite direction of the café, which he was now beginning to eye longingly.

"But, Jess, what about…"

"Oh, come ON! You can eat back at the hotel." With that, Jonny resigned and allowed Jessie to pull him away from the café…and Irena Kafka.

As the duo walked away, Irena smirked to herself. Everything was falling into place exactly how she hoped.

A couple days later, Jessie and Jonny were walking the shops that they planned on going to before they ran into Irena. After glancing through the windows and seeing nothing that really caught their eye, Jonny suggested that they go across the bridge to the other shops. Jessie quickly agreed and they were on their way. The two were about half-way across the bridge suspended over the river, when a largely built man came running toward them. Surprised, Jonny and Jessie just stood there for a moment. When the man reached them, he shoved Jessie aside and continued running with what appeared to be a purse in his hand. Thrown off balance, Jessie banged her head against the rail of the bridge and went over the side, plunging into the cold waters of the river.

Without thinking twice, Jonny dove into the water after Jessie. After what seemed like hours, Jonny finally spotted a blur of red slowly sinking to the bottom of the river. When he finally got Jessie above the surface, he realized she wasn't breathing, so he hurried her over to the edge of the water as fast as he possibly could. It was only when he had finally gotten her ashore that he saw the huge gash in Jessie's head from when she hit her head. She was rapidly losing blood and was in dire need of immediate medical attention.

Once Jessie was finally in the hospital, he called Estella to let her know where they were. After telling her what happened, Jonny timidly asked her if she could call Race for him and let him know. He was afraid that once Race found out what happened, that he would despise Jonny for not protecting his 'little Ponchita'. The doctors tending to Jessie refused to tell him anything, since he was not immediate family. When Estella finally arrived, she was frantic with worry. The moment she saw Jonny, her heart stopped, and she nearly fainted. His complexion was far too pallor, and he appeared to be in a state of shock. She immediately rushed to his side and pleaded with him to talk to her, continually asking him to look at her and tell her what was wrong.

"I…Jess…Jessie…" Estella noticed tears threatening to spill over from his eyes, shining a brighter blue due to the unshed tears pooling in them.

"Shh…it's alright, Jonny. Just tell me what's wrong." Estella did her best to assure and comfort the shock-ridden teen with soothing words. Moving her hand to his unruly mop of hair, she brushed the stray locks away from his face and silently urged him on.

"I…convinced a nurse…that I was Jessie's brother…and…" He appeared as if he couldn't take any more at that point. Yet he continued on, knowing that it was Jessie's mother that was next to him. She deserved to know what was happening, and it would be easier for her to handle if he told her, rather than some doctor who didn't know either of these remarkable red-heads on a personal level. Jonny took a deep breath and steadied himself, intent on getting the rest of the information on Jessie's condition to her mother without falling apart.

"The combination of the gash in Jessie's head and the lack of oxygen when she took the plunge have left her comatose. She lost a lot of blood, Estella, and the doctors don't know if she'll make it through the night. The nurse told me that if she does, her chances of surviving will increase by fifty percent, and another the next day, and the next." Estella could see that Jonny was emotionally and physically right on the brink, and ordered him to go back to the hotel, assuring him that she would call the instant anything happened. He needed rest, and he knew that. But he just didn't see how he could possibly leave Jessie right now. When he voiced this to Estella, she sternly, yet gently, shoved him out the door and into a cab.

"Hmm…that boy really has been through far too much for his age. Now comes the hard part…calling Race."

A week went by, and Jessie hadn't changed. Dr. Quest and Race had flown out as soon as Estella got off the phone with Race. Jonny and Race were sitting in Jessie's room when two cops walked in. Rising from their seats, the two looked at the officers with identical anxious expressions. Turing to Jonny, one of the officers began to speak.

"We found the man responsible for what happened to your friend. He was picked up for sexual harassment yesterday, and we managed to wrangle a confession out of him. What we need you to do is come with us down to the station to identify him. He also admitted that he was hired specifically to take Miss Bannon out. Do you by chance know of anyone that goes by the name 'Kafka'?" Jonny was stunned when Irena's last name came out of the officer's mouth. So stunned, in fact, that all he could do was nod dumbly while following the officers out of Jessie's room.

When Jonny saw the perpetrator sitting alone in an interrogation room, he immediately recognized the man as Jessie's assailant. Jonny silently walked into the room and gritted his teeth while asking the man one single question.

"Why did Irena Kafka hire you to get rid of Jessie?" The daggers he was shooting with his eyes told the man that despite his age, he was no one to be trifled with. He nervously blurted out in the midst of rambling nervously that Irena had wanted Jessie out of the way so that she could get to him. Realization hit Jonny like a ton of bricks as he realized that from the moment they met, Irena had wanted Jonny for his money and his place in society and the public eye as a Quest.

Jessie had been transported via a medivac unit to a hospital in Maine. Roughly a month after the attack, she finally woke up, which was a relief to the whole family for more than one reason. The first and foremost reason being that they were glad to finally have their Jessie back. But another reason was Jonny. Since he found out that Irena was responsible for what happened to Jessie, he had taken on the appearance of death and evil itself. He wouldn't eat or sleep, intent on taking revenge on Irena for Jessie's attempted death. On several occasions, Race had to physically restrain Jonny to keep him from leaving and finding Irena Kafka to kill her himself. Jessie waking up seemed to be the only thing that could keep him from going completely over the edge. The need for him to remain by her side outweighed the need for him to revenge his closest friend. After she woke up, he decided that they would do that together in time. He wouldn't deprive Jessie of her revenge.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

The seagulls were cawing out over the water, waiting for an opportune moment to snag some food. The sounds of the seagulls and his own thoughts drowned out the sound of footsteps behind him. He didn't even realize someone was standing behind him until he felt a hand firmly placed on his shoulder. The sudden feeling of this hand jolted Jonny out of his reverie and back into reality. When he turned to see who it was, he was looking up into the face of Race Bannon, Jessie's father. Race sat down next to Jonny, and Jonny looked back to the scene in front of him.

"Nice morning, isn't it, Kiddo?" Race inquired.

"Yeah, Race, sure it is," was Jonny's absent-minded reply. Race saw the blank look on Jonny's face as he stared out at the Maine scenery before him and immediately became concerned.

"Jonny, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Race."

"Uh-huh, sure it's not. Don't lie to me, Jonny. I know you better than that. You know you can tell me. What is it?" Jonny knew that his answer wouldn't fly with Race. Well, at least he knew where Jessie got her persistence.

"Geez, Race, so many things are wrong right now. I don't know where to start."

"So start at the first thought that comes into your head. Just take your time, and speak whatever's on your mind."

"You've been talking to Dad again, haven't you? Ok, well, it's Jessie."

"Jessie? What about her?" Race inquired with a suspicious gleam in his eye.

"Well, it's Jessie, and it's not. See, it's been about two years since the London incident, and I just can't stop thinking about all the things that led up to that and the events that followed up to now. You know, first Jessie gets hurt really badly in London, thanks to Irena. I don't know, Race, I just feel like fate has been so against me these last couple years. Every time I think about Jessie and what we've been through since Irena first walked into our lives, I think about what I almost did when Jess was in a coma and what I might do if we were to ever see Irena Kafka again. I really just hope that if we ever are that unfortunate, that Jessie won't find herself alone with her. Race, I swear, if Irena ever does anything to hurt Jess ever again, I'll….I'll…"

"I know, I know. Jonny, don't you think that I think about the same things all the time? Jonny, I almost lost my little girl to that bitch. The last thing I would ever want is for Jessie to be left alone with her again. But, Jonny, you need to understand, Jessie can take care of herself. Hell, she's my daughter, remember? I know it's hard. Believe me, I know. Just pray that it will never happen."

"I can't lose her, Race. I can't lose her, not again."

"I can't either, Kiddo."

"I love her, Race. I love Jessie with all my heart and I don't think I could bear losing her again."

"I know you do. Have you told her?"

"Yes, I have."

"Good, because I made that mistake with Estella a long time ago, and look at what happened to us."

"Yeah, but, Race, you and Estella still got back together in the end."

"But, Jonny, it took us years to do it. I don't want to see that happen to you and Jessie. I may not like that Jessie's fallen in love, but, if it had to happen, then, I'm glad it's with you. You're the only one who was ever good enough for her, you know."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Thanks a lot, Race."

"No problem, Jonny." Race got up and turned around to return to the Compound when he remembered why he came out to find Jonny in the first place. "Oh, and, Jonny, your dad and I are leaving for Chicago for another one of those WAY-too-long science conventions. You and Jessie can come if you want to, but I figured you really wouldn't want to do that, so, I left some pizza money on the counter and the numbers that you'll be able to reach us, well, me at. We'll be back sometime Monday evening if I'm lucky, ok?"

"Yeah, sure, Race, that's not a problem. When are you leaving?"

"In a couple hours, but I want to at least wait until Jessie is up so that I can say goodbye. Plus, I want to make sure to remind her to keep an eye on you while I'm gone."

"Hey, that's VERY funny, Race. Ok, well, I'll see you when I come inside, or else when you get home."

"Ok, Jonny, oh, and, don't worry about Jess. She'll be fine. Just keep an eye on her for me, will you? Honestly, I've been getting the same feelings you have about Irena, and I really don't think we've seen the last of her."

"Sure, Race, I'll do that. Thanks for the help."

"Any time, Jonny, any time." And with that, Race pivoted on his heel and went back into the house.

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"Well, what have you got for me?"

"We're still working on it, Ms. Kafka."

"Like hell you are. I want those contacts available to me NOW!" Irena Kafka raved as she glared at her most recent computer hacker contact. After hearing that this guy was the best, not to mention the cheapest, in the business, Irena knew that he was her guy. With a final huff, she bolted around and headed through the door of the underground complex she was currently stationing her base of operations. The past school year for her was spent studying privately with a personal tutor so she would be able to keep a close eye on Jonny Quest and that leech, Jessica Bannon.

"Right away, Ms. Kafka," came the hushed and delayed reply of the hacker unfortunate enough to find himself in Irena Kafka's claws.

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"_DAD_, I'll be **_FINE_**, really, I will. It's only for a couple days, and, like you said, you left all your contact numbers in case of an emergency…which there _WON'T _be. Relax, you'll be home before you know it." Jessie tried to calm her father's unsettling nerves of leaving Jonny and Jessie home alone for a couple days. Even though he knew the kids were more than capable of handling themselves in rough situations, Race had rarely left either of them home without supervision for more than twenty-four hours.

"I know you'll be fine, Ponchita. I just worry about you sometimes, that's all. I'm a father, we're allowed to do that once in a while, you know. Just promise you'll be careful, and that you'll call me _IMMEDIATELY_ if **_ANYTHING_** happens. Promise?"

"Yes, Daddy, I promise."

"Sure, Race, we promise."

"Ok, then, I'll see you two in a couple days. Be good, and try to keep the Compound in one piece, all right?"

"All right," was the reply, in unison, of the two teens.

"Have a safe flight, Dad." Jessie said, giving her father a bear hug.

"I will, Ponchita. I love you." Was Race's response, returning the hug wholeheartedly.

"I love you, too." With that, Race kissed Jessie on the forehead, grabbed his bomber jacket, and headed out to the car. Dr. Quest had already said his goodbyes and was waiting for Race in the car when he walked out the door.

"So, Doc, shall we?" Race inquired, half-heartedly. Dr. Quest noticed the change in his burly bodyguard and long-time friend. He waited until they were well on the road away from the Quest Compound and daily traffic to approach the subject with the man.

"Race, what's wrong?"

"What are you talking about, Benton?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Something's going on with you. You can tell me, you know that. Now, what is it?"

"It's just something Jonny said this morning."

"What did he say?" Dr. Quest asked, his interest peaked at the mention of his son's name.

"Well, I saw him out at the cliff early this morning when I walked into the kitchen to get some coffee brewing, and…" Benton's eyes widened both in astonishment, at the fact that his son was up so early on a weekend in the summer, and in fear, for the fact that he was at the cliff—the same cliff he nearly fell to his death over nearly a year ago when the cliff edge gave way after a huge storm.

"And… what?"

"And, well, we started talking about what's been bugging him. I guess he's been as worried about Jess and Irena as I have. I guess it's just that it's so weird to me that they're both growing up. Next year they'll be going off to college, and they're in love. I mean, is it really possible for them to know that they are in love that young? They're still just kids. What could they possibly know about love? Well, anyway, since my little chat with Jonny, I've just been thinking a lot about Jessie and how much my little girl just isn't my little girl anymore. It's really unnerving. Actually, what it's doing is it's making me feel old."

"I know the feeling. And, hey, if you're old, then I'm ancient!"

"You know, Doc, you're not _THAT_ much older than me." Race chuckled a little at Dr. Quest's comment.

At least that got a slightly positive reaction Dr. Quest thought.

"No, I guess you're right. Look, Race, we're all worried about Jessie. These last couple years have really taken their toll on her. Tolls that shouldn't have to be taken by anyone her age, might I add. But, she's a smart young woman who is entirely capable of handling herself in most situations. Plus, she has Jonny there with her. Now, as far as their being in love is concerned, it is more than possible for them to know that they're in love at their age. Any fool can see it in their eyes every time they look at each other. Oh, yes, they are most definitely in love, without a doubt. But you are absolutely right about one thing, they are growing up. Have you talked with Estella about this?"

"Yeah, and she feels kind of the same way. But it's not the same thing. She's Jessie's mother, the one that Jessie runs to with all of her girl problems and for those 'woman-to-woman' chats that they have every so often. I'm her father, the one who's naturally overprotective of his little girl. She's my only child. Estella's the one who's giving Jess all the little tips and helpful hints about growing up and becoming the beautiful young woman she's turned out to be. Whereas, I'm the one who's sitting more on the sidelines in this area, keeping a **_VERY_** close eye on the situation, at ready to jump in and deal with all the problems—mainly the ones involving all the testosterone-induced hormones of every guy who so much as looks at her wrong. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I think so. What I believe you're saying is that you're the one who is pacing and fretting about everything involving your daughter and her life, while Estella is the one who is more at ease with the fact that Jessie is growing up, and is there to help her every step of the way."

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to say. I guess it's because Estella has been in Jessie's position before, and I haven't. Sure, we all grew up the same way Jonny and Jessie are, but both Jessie and Estella are women, I'm, well, obviously, not. I didn't deal with the same things that Estella dealt with growing up, and Jessie is currently dealing with."

"I understand what you're saying." At that point, they had arrived at the airport and were parked in front of the hangar where the Dragonfly was stored.

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"Hey," Jessie said, walking up behind her boyfriend and placing her arms around his waist. The warm summer breeze blew her hair in every which direction as she stood with Jonny out in front of the lighthouse. Resting her chin on his shoulder, she continued, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Hey, Jess," Jonny replied, turning around and returning her warm embrace. With her head now resting at the front of his shoulder, he rested his head on top of hers and buried his face in her fire-red hair. Feeling his grip tighten on her, Jessie began to worry about him.

"Jonny, what's wrong, Love?" She took her head from its resting place and raised it up to meet his gaze.

"It's nothing, Ace, really." Jonny knew that his answer most likely wouldn't fly with her, but he had to do everything he could to keep from telling her what he told her father earlier that day. Still keeping her arms wrapped around him, she began to pull herself away from him, knowing that he was lying to her and hiding something from her as well.

"Don't you do that to me, Quest. I know you better than that. Something's wrong, I can see it in your eyes. Why won't you tell me?" She inquired, strains of hurt finding their way up her throat and into her voice. Jonny noticed this and immediately regretted not telling her in the first place.

"Jessie, please don't think that I'm trying to keep secrets from you. I'm sorry, it's just…well…it's about Irena." When he said this, he saw the plain confusion reflecting in Jessie's eyes.

"What…about…her," Jessie asked cautiously, trying her hardest to keep a neutral tone in her voice, despite the thoughts that began to rage in her mind at the sound of_ HER_ name.

"Well, we haven't seen hide or hair of her for six months. To tell you the truth, I'm worried, Jess. I'm worried that the moment we let our guard down she's going to come back full throttle on us. I really don't want her to hurt you again. No, I **_CAN'T_** let her hurt you again. Don't get me wrong! I know that you can take care of yourself if the need arises, but, I just feel that you shouldn't have to, that's all. You're completely capable, and I know that. I just want to protect you because I love you so much and I don't…I don't… want to… lose you." At this, Jonny's voice began to break and he felt the tears beginning to well in his eyes at the thought of losing Jessie again. Noticing this, Jessie moved herself back into a tight embrace with him. Feeling her pressed up tightly against his body, he once again returned her embrace fiercely and buried his face into the base of her neck, letting her hair blow across the back of his neck in the wind. Jessie felt his slow tears begin to drip onto her neck and hugged him even tighter and closer than he was before.

"I love you, Jonny. Always know that." Jessie whispered into his ear, just loud enough for them to hear.

"I love you, too, Jess," came Jonny's reply, muffled from his face still being pressed up against her. Slowly lifting his face from her neck to look back into her emerald eyes, Jonny inched toward her, bringing their faces closer together. Within a single moment, their lips touched and they interlocked in a passionate embrace powerful enough to stop time itself.


	2. She's Back!

Jonny Quest-Heart's Desire: Part II

DISCLAIMER: Don't own JQ and Crew. No cash coming in. Just a poor fan writing stories for fun and amusement purposes. Any characters you don't recognize belong to me. Please ask before using them.

"Ok, please tell me that you've got SOMETHING this time." Irena eyed the man expectantly, waiting to hear the news that she wanted.

"Y…yes, umm…." The man continuously stuttered in fear of screwing up and suffering the consequences of his current employer. Although she was still young, he knew that she had the roar of a tiger and claws to match.

"Well, WHAT IS IT?" She boomed, growing impatient with him.

"Oh, y…y…yes, well, Dr. Quest and his b…b…b…bodyguard, Bannon, are at a c…c…convention in Chicago through Monday evening."

"And what of Bannon's wife, the archaeologist, is she there as well?"

"No, she's out at a d…dig site for the w…w…week."

"Oh, stop stuttering, already." She mumbled, irritated with the man's nervous habit. However, the fact that she knew that she was still able to keep some in fear kept her urges to lash out at him for it at bay…for now, at least. Hmm…if only the Quests could see me now she thought. Who would have thought that the _poor timid composer_ they met in Prague could spark fear into the eyes of grown men. Irena had to laugh at that thought. Jonny never would have guessed the first time he met her that she could be so cruel and fearful.

"Is the housekeeper at the Compound?"

"No, she is not there either. She's taking an extended vacation. The young Indian Sultan is not there either. It is just the Quest boy and the Bannon girl in the house until their fathers return."

"All alone, huh, well, we'll just have to fix that, won't we?" With that, Irena waltzed out of the room, pleased with the information, to begin planning for the invasion at the Quest Compound. With the whole family away, and just the two teens in the house, she decided that this would be the best time to attack.

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"So, Race, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm still worried about Jessie, though. But, then again, I guess the father in me always will be, huh.

"Yes, I'm afraid it will. Don't worry, Race. Jessie's a smart girl. She can handle herself should the need arise."

"Yeah, I know, but that still doesn't make me worry any less. Well, I guess we better get you on the ground for this convention. I still don't know why I have to go to these things with you. They're so dull, and I can't understand a word all you docs are sayin'. You're speakin' all that science talk, and what not." "I know, Race. But you're still my bodyguard no matter what form of language I speak, so, in your own words, 'Take it like a man'!"

"Ha! You got me there, Benton. Now, help me unload this bird, will you?"

"Sure, Race, let's get going."

As they exited the Dragonfly, a small group of men dressed in stuffy suits and too postured for Race's preferred taste began walking toward their hangar. Probably some of the Doc's science pals Race thought. And, sure enough, he was right.

"Benton, how wonderful it is to see you again. I'm so glad you were able to make it for the convention this weekend." The man who was speaking came up to Dr. Quest and offered him his hand, which Dr. Quest grasped in his own firmly.

"It's wonderful to be here, Gerald. I'm glad I was able to make time to be here, as well. Here, allow me to introduce you to my old friend and bodyguard, Race Bannon. Race, this is Dr. Gerald Scranton, an old colleague of mine. He and I go way back to when I first founded Quest Enterprises."

"Hello, Mr. Bannon, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Please, it's Race, and the pleasure's all mine, Dr. Scranton." Race said, catching the man's hand in a firm, yet friendly handshake.

"Well then, let me introduce you both to my companions, here. This is Dr. William Burlette. He is one of my head scientists at the Scranton Foundation, along with Dr. Raymond Wright. And last, but most certainly not least, is Dr. Clayton Mandel, the owner and founder of Mandel Incorporated." Dr. Quest and Race exchanged greetings and handshakes all around as they were introduced to each of the three scientists.

"Ah, yes, Dr. Mandel, I would very much like to get together with you and pick your brain for a couple hours while we're here." Dr. Quest suggested.

"As would I, Dr. Quest. I would most certainly like to learn more of this virtual reality system that I have heard so little about from Dr. Scranton."

"Well, we'll see about that. I will be presenting a portion of it at the convention."

"Alright, gentlemen, shall we get going? Benton, we'll see you at the orientation tonight. Race, I hope to see you there, as well. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Same to you, Dr. Scranton," Race replied, as the four men retreated from the way they came.

"Well, now, Doc, let's get this show on the road." Race exclaimed, as he began to haul their belongings out of the cargo shaft. "Say, what was that you said about showin' some of the Questworld technology at the convention?"

"Yes, Race, I brought a less advanced prototype of Questworld with me to present this weekend. I decided it was time to let a little bit of it show forth. Don't worry, it's nothing compared to the systems we have back home. This is just an older model that I designed years ago. It's not enough to put us in any danger of any sort."

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"Jonny?"

Standing before him was the most beautiful creature he could possibly imagine: Jessica Bannon. As he stood there, motionlessly gazing at her with eternal wonder in his eyes, he pondered how a treasure such as her could possibly choose to be with him when she could have her choice of any other guy around. He felt so lucky to have her in his life, and treasured every moment with her.

"Jonny, are you alright?" Jessie glared at him with a hint of worry in her bright emerald eyes. She wondered what he was thinking about that could possibly make him go blank like that.

"Sorry, Ace, I guess I'm just a little bit out of it today, that's all."

"Alright, but know that I'm going to be keeping an eye on you, Quest."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Jess." Jonny stated as he pulled her close and gazed into her deep green eyes. Jessie stared back at him, wondering what his next move was going to be. Just as this thought passed through her mind, he leaned in and grazed his soft lips against hers. She wholeheartedly responded by moving her body closer to the warmth of his and embracing him, while, at the same time, parting her lips in an invitation to allow Jonny to slip his tongue into her mouth. He hastily gave in to the seductive invitation and began to caress the edges of her mouth with his tongue, then letting it slip into her mouth. Jessie mirrored his actions as the kiss continued to grow in intensity.

With blood pumping through his veins more swiftly than the flow of the Colorado Rapids, Jonny swept Jessie up into his arms in one swift, flowing movement and began to walk toward his bed in the center of his bedroom. He gently laid her down and lowered himself carefully on top of her, cautiously ensuring that he did not harm her. While still engaged in the intensity of the kiss, Jonny began to caress her body with his hands, welcoming the feel of her body and warmth on the tips of his fingers. As he was doing this, Jessie raised her hands to his mop of disheveled blonde hair and combed her fingers through it with passion and ease.

At this point, Jessie decided that it was time for her to take control. In one quick, precise movement, Jessie was on top of Jonny, straddling his hips. Her fingers began to slowly move away from Jonny's soft, smooth hair and down to the front of his shirt. Once her hands had reached their destination point, those same fingers that were running steadily through his hair moments ago were now fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. As if in rhythm, her fingers worked down the black shirt, careful to separate every button from its hole before continuing on to the next. Jonny, seeing that she was fully aware of what she was doing, began to imitate her actions and ran his fingers down the front of her shirt while unfastening the buttons as well. Soon, both Jonny and Jessie were being stripped of their shirts by the other and Jonny was left bare chested, showing off his toned, muscular chest and fit abs, while Jessie was flaunting her nearly perfect figure and tight curves underneath a silky purple brazier solely for him.

Jonny released himself from the intense passion of the lingering kiss to relieve his air-depleted lungs for a moment. Both were panting heavily, due to the intensity and adrenaline running through their system as a result of the kiss and lack of air. Gazing deeply into each other's eyes, they steadily gained a slightly normal breathing pattern. Jessie lowered his head down to Jonny's neck and began to caress it softly with her rose-petal lips, while Jonny continued to run his hands up and down her body. Jessie involuntarily closed her eyes and gaped her mouth open as a result of the sweetness of his hands grazing her body gently. Suddenly, Jonny struck a pressure point with his gentle fingers, which caused Jessie to arch her back and pant heavily as she let an incomprehensible moan escape from her mouth. Jessie's reaction caused Jonny's body to surge with intensity and desire. With her lips and tongue still running up and down his neck, Jonny began to unfasten the belt on Jessie's jeans and remove them. Once Jessie's jeans were off, he continued to do the same with his own pants.

Now left only in their undergarments, the couple began to move in a steady rhythm as their bodies began to flow together like waves preparing to crash up against the sandy shore line. With Jonny beneath her, and his head arching up to meet hers, their lips re-embraced in another passion-filled kiss. They each began to remove their underwear and threw them across the room with the rest of their clothes. Savoring the feeling of skin-on-skin, the two continued to move their bodies in synchronized rhythm.

Pausing for a moment, Jonny looked at Jessie's gleaming features. His heart raced as her fiery red hair flowed around her seamless face and bright green eyes perfectly. He looked deep into her eyes and took in a deep breath, preparing to say those words to her. It's not that he had never told her before, but, that each time he said it, it was like he fell in love with the angel before him all over again.

"I love you, Jessie. I always have, and I always will."

"Always and forever," was her only reply. Staring mindlessly into those deep sapphire pools for eyes, she felt the swift rush of love flow through her. What it was about his eyes, she didn't know. All she knew was that every time she saw those pristine blue eyes looking at her, it was like he was looking through her and peering into the depths of her soul.

Feeling Jonny's hardened manhood pressing up against her thigh, Jessie grew even more wet than she had been moments before. Unable to withstand her own needs which her body seemed to be screaming at her, she raised herself up just enough to allow Jonny access to her wet sheath. In the next moment, both were screaming out in passionate pleasure as she lowered herself down on his rock hard shaft. Moaning in need at the feeling of him filling her, Jessie began to pulsate her body up and down, creating a sensational friction between the two lovers.

Without warning, Jonny flipped them back over so that he was once again on top of Jessie. When she didn't seem to protest, and actually wrapping her provocatively long legs around his hips, he leaned down to kiss her, pumping hard into her as he did so. Any screams and moans coming out of her mouth were swallowed by his, and vice versa. Feeling Jessie's muscles tightening around him, Jonny knew that she was coming closer to climax, as was he. Pounding a few more forceful thrusts was all it took for the two to simultaneously scream out in pure ecstasy as a white hot climax hit them both all at once. Remaining in that position for a moment longer, they both began to shiver as pleasant aftershocks rushed through their bodies. Cautiously lowering himself down next to Jessie, making sure to remain inside of her as much as possible, Jonny exhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath and return some sense of normality to his rapid heart rate. Contentment washed over the teens as sleep began to overtake them. Gently sliding out of her, Jonny signaled to Jessie to raise herself up so that he could pull back the covers of his bed, allowing them to climb under and allow sleep to consume them.

Little to the knowledge of the pair of lovers, they were not the only ones on the premises at the Quest Compound. Outside, a shadowed figure stealthily perched on a tree branch was keeping a close tabs on the both of them, using state-of-the-art surveillance, which, no matter how advanced it was, was not nearly as advanced as the equipment at the Compound custom-made by Dr. Benton Quest himself. The dark figure surveyed Jonny and Jessie intently for hours, making sure not to be noticed. However, their attempts were quite in vein, seeing as how the stealthy figure miscalculated a movement and rustled the leaves of the tree quite noticeably, waking the peacefully sleeping duo.

"Jonny, did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Jess?"

"I could have sworn I heard something outside."

"I didn't hear anything." Jonny, having said this, got a whack over the head from Jessie.

"No, duh, Jonny, I picked that up when you said 'Hear what'!"

"Sorry, Jess."

A rustle was heard again, this time, by Jonny as well.

"Ok, now don't tell me you didn't hear THAT!"

"No, Jess, I heard it that time. It sounded like a rustling in the trees, but it was too much of a rustle to have been caused by the wind. Stay here, I'll go check it out." Jonny said, as he snatched up his jeans and sloppily threw them on.

"No way, Hotshot, I'm coming with you!" Jessie retorted, grabbing one of the nightshirts Jonny carelessly left on the floor in his bedroom. Together, they slowly crept their way over to the window to look out against the darkness of night lying blanketed over the grounds on the Compound. At a glance, nothing was out of the normal on the grounds, but, then again, they weren't just giving it a glance.

"Jessie, get down!" Jonny shouted when he saw a dainty black figure appear from the darkness and lunge directly at the window from the tree. He quickly grabbed her and shoved her away from the window against the far wall, shielding her body protectively with his own. The figure landed gracefully on the inside of the window and swiftly, yet cautiously made its way toward the two. Instinctively, Jonny turned away from Jessie, facing the hidden figure, and took a fighting stance. In turn, the figure gave a coy, evil laugh and took stance as well.

"You really think you can beat me, boy?" the figure asked. Jonny recognized the voice, knowing he had heard it before, and it sent shivers down his spine. Somehow, he just couldn't seem to place a face and name to the dreaded voice.

"Who are you?" Jonny demanded. Although he already knew that he would get no straight answer, he asked the question anyway. However, the answer he received surprised him greatly. The figure smoothly pulled its hand up to the mask that adequately covered its face and began to remove it.

"Well, if you really want to know…" The delicate hand moved the mask away and revealed light blue eyes, mid-length brown hair, and a flawless, milky complexion.

"Irena!"


	3. Facing the Enemy

Jonny Quest-Heart's Desire: Part 3

**A/N: Sorry to those of you who read this chapter and got mixed messages about Will's gender. MEPutney, Will IS a man. I've been doing a lot of editing and character changing, and Will was one of them. I originally had him as a totally different character…a FEMALE character, and I guess I didn't get all of the changes…whoops! ) sorry!**

DISCLAIMER: No, I do NOT own JQ and its characters. They are the property of the fine creators at Hanna Barbara. I'm collecting no money for this work. Any characters you don't recognize DO belong to me and must not be used by anyone unless permission is given by me.

The night of orientation at these science conventions was always a hectic one. Everywhere you looked you could see scientists greeting each other or steadily engaged in conversation about what's new in the wonderful world of science. This made Race feel very uncomfortable and out of place. No matter how many of these things he was forced to go to every year, the feeling never subsided. Half the time, when he was actually paying attention, he didn't understand a word these guys were saying, and the other half was spent paying absolutely no attention at all. He glanced around the large convention hall warily once more in search of his charge and long-time friend, Benton Quest. Suddenly, he was jolted out of his task by a firm grip forming on his shoulder.

"Ah, Mr. Bannon, I'm so glad you were able to join us this evening. I trust you are enjoying yourself?" From behind him came the welcoming voice of Dr. Scranton, one of the men who had met him and Dr. Quest upon arrival earlier today.

"Well, Dr. Scranton, I honestly have to say that most of the time I have absolutely no clue what y'all are talking about. It's really kind of amusing when you think about it. I've been going to these things for years and I still don't get it." At this, Dr. Scranton gave a warm chuckle.

"You're right, that is quite amusing. Yes, I suppose the jargon can be rather confusing if you haven't been using it for years. Heck, I'm still confused by it at times! Don't worry about it. When in doubt, just nod and act like you know what's going on." Dr. Scranton replied with amusement. Race's replied to Dr. Scranton's unexpected comment with a heart-filled laugh. His comment relaxed Race from the tense posture he was so used to being in.

"Thanks, Doc, that's some good advice. Well, I guess I better go find Dr. Quest. Don't want those agency boys telling me I'm not doing my job. I'll be damned if I let that happen! See you later, Dr. Scranton."

"Goodbye, Race." And with that, Race set out to return to the task at hand. He spotted Dr. Quest with—surprise, surprise—more scientists. Begrudgingly, he walked over to them and planted himself quietly behind Dr. Quest, making sure to keep as silent as possible as not to disturb or interrupt the men of science. His attempts, however, were quite in vain, for he was soon noticed by Dr. Quest and his companions.

"Race, there you are. Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my head of security at Quest Enterprises and good friend, Race Bannon. Race, this is Dr. Martin Tomlinson, Dr. Adam Cartwright, and Dr. Phillip Haysworth. They're all scientists at the Mandel Corporation." Dr Quest continued to elaborate on both the group of scientists and Race to the other.

"So, tell me, Mr. Bannon, how is it that you came to work for Dr. Quest?"

"Well, Dr. Haysworth, I was actually assigned to him and his son, Jonny, as a bodyguard years ago when I was a special-ops agent for the government. After spending time with both Benton and Jonny, I quit the agency to stay with them permanently as their bodyguard and head of security."

"Well, there's something you don't hear everyday. A bodyguard temporarily assigned quitting his job to permanently remain with his given charge. That is, at the least, amazing!" Dr. Tomlinson commented at Race's story.

"Yes, I guess you could say that. But I am eternally grateful for Race's decision to stay with us. He has proven invaluable both as head of security, and an old friend."

"Hey, who are you calling old? You're older than me, you know." Race quickly returned with a grin on his face similar to that of Jonny.

"Hmm hmm, yes, Race, I know." Dr Quest replied with a chuckle, due to both Race's quick comment, and the imitation of his son's trademark lopsided grin.

"Looks like everything's about to start, gentlemen. Let's all take our seats, shall we?" Dr. Cartwright requested. All the men agreed and found their assigned seating arrangements just as the first speaker took the podium. Race leaned back with an inward sigh. This was going to be a long weekend.

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Estella looked up at the mid-day sun and sighed. It's not even noon yet, and we're all already soaked in sweat due to this blistering heat she thought as she wiped her brow with her forearm and surveyed the rest of the workers. Work was progressing fairly well for a day like this, but despite that, she was thinking of the cooler air up in New England, at the Quest Compound. She wished she could be there right now with her family instead of here, but she knew that this needed to be done, and that it wouldn't be done completely by the book if she were to leave. Knowing that things would run relatively smoothly in her absence, Estella considered going home, if not for just a little while, to escape the long, hard days at the South American dig site.

Just as she was about to return to the cataloging she was previously engaged in, the cell phone in her back shorts pocket began to ring. With a sigh, she pulled it out of its resting place and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Mom, it's me." Out of the phone came Jessie's hushed voice. To Estella she sounded as if she were anxious about something.

"Jessie? Sweetheart, what is it? Is everything alright?"

"No, Mom, it's not. We have a problem. Irena's in the compound! Jonny and I are here alone, and things aren't going too well. Mom, do you think you could reach Dad for us? I know he's at that convention with Dr. Quest this weekend, so he probably won't answer his cell phone. But do you have another way to reach him?" Jessie replied hastily, hardly taking a breath between sentences. Estella could tell she was rushing to get everything out that needed to be said before Irena got to her.

"Yes, Honey, I can reach him. Sit tight. I'll get your father there as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Oh, and Jessie,"

"What is it, Mom?"

"Be careful. I love you."

"I will. I love you too, Mom." Then she heard a click, signaling to her that her daughter had ended the call. Estella's eyes held a level of worry and panic as she dialed her husband's private number, the one he had for emergency use only. This number was only known by Estella, Dr. Quest, and himself. She waited impatiently for him to answer, hoping that he would answer at all.

"What is it, Stel?"

"Race, the kids are alone at the compound, and Irena's there!"

"WHAT!" She heard Race shout through the earpiece of her cell.

"Jessie just called me in a panic saying that they were alone and that Irena was in the compound. She sounded…afraid, Race. I could tell she was rushing to say everything before Irena got to her. Race, you have to do something!"

"I know, Honey. But what am I supposed to do, Estella? I'm in Chicago and they're in Maine. There's no way I can get there that fast! She had to have known that we were all going to be gone at the same time, and used that as her window to get to Jonny and Jessie. Irena saw an opportunity staring her in the eye and she felt she had to take it. Ok, I'll call Will and get him to the compound, then I'll call Jessie's cell phone and she if she and Jonny are okay. Don't worry, Stel, I'm sure the kids will be fine. You know them, they're smart, and they're tough. They can handle Irena."

"I hope you're right. Alright, Race, you'll call me once you've reached Will and the kids?" Estella hadn't known Will Hawkins very long, but he was one of the first men Race befriended after moving to Maine with the Quests. He was a large man, though not quite as large as Race, and taught all the self-defense classes in the Rockport area. She had to admit, he was good. Plus, Race trusted him, and that was all Estella needed to know. She trusted her husband's instincts with their daughter's life, and was in no place to begin questioning them now.

"You know I will. Estella, trust me on this, they'll be okay." Race assured her in a gentle and calming voice. She couldn't help but wonder how it was that he could do that to her every time.

"I trust you."

"Good, I love you."

"Te amo, tambien, mi amor." And with that, they ended their conversation. Somehow, Estella always felt at ease after hearing her husband assure her that everything would be okay, even though she knew he was never quite sure of that himself. She sat down and rested her head on top of her arms lying on the table, knowing that there was no way she would be able to concentrate on anything other than her daughter now.

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Jessie slipped out of the bathroom after hanging up from her hasty call with her mother. If Irena didn't notice her absence by now, then she was even dumber than Jessie thought, or it was a flat out miracle. She returned to Jonny's room to find him and Irena locked in a staring contest. The instant she walked back into the room, Irena's eyes flared with new life, and she charged at Jessie with all the momentum her body could muster. Seeing Irena's intention, Jonny quickly lunged at her, knocking her to the ground before she could reach her intended destination.

"Jess, run!" Jonny hollered at her. He was still on top of Irena and didn't know how much longer he could keep it up. She was struggling a lot and Jonny was beginning to lose his hold on her. Suddenly, without warning, Irena saw her opening. Just one little distraction from Jessie took Jonny's full concentration off of her. Before Jessie had a chance to react or respond to Jonny's order, Irena turned the tables on Jonny and rolled herself into the same position he was moments ago.

"Now who's in control, Quest?" Irena cooed in her evil seductress voice. Jessie was about to charge Irena when a pair of well-built arms took a firm hold on her from behind. She struggled with all her might to break free, but to no avail. There was absolutely no way to free herself of the bind she was in. Once she stopped struggling long enough steal a look at Jonny and Irena, she could see Irena with a knife in her hand, bending down to whisper something in Jonny's ear. Jonny's eyes began to widen with a mixture of rage and horrific shock. Jessie had to wonder what it is she said to him to get that kind of reaction out of him. He had stopped struggling beneath Irena the moment she whispered into his ear. After realizing she herself had stopped struggling, she noticed the man's grip had relaxed enough for her to break free of him. Catching him unaware, she stomped on his right foot with her own and elbowed him in the groin, causing him to double over in pain. Jessie turned and sent her fist flying toward the brawny man's face, which was concealed by a black ski mask. _How_ _cliché_ she thought to herself as she made contact with the man, knocking him unconscious. Taking the time to lift the ski mask, Jessie immediately recognized the defined jaw line and brown hair belonging to none other than Milosh Dunceck.

"Now, now, Miss Bannon, you wouldn't want to do that, I don't think." Irena stated when Jessie once again began to charge for her. It was then that Jessie realized the knife she had noticed before in her enemy's hand was now up against Jonny's throat.

"What do you want, Irena?" Jessie spat her name like it was vile that she wanted to be rid of as quickly as possible.

"I believe you already know the answer to that question, Jessie. However, I'll tell you anyway. I want you dead, and Quest all to myself. Is that clear? I don't know why I must explain this to you, you've known that from the beginning."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Sweetheart, but it's not going to happen." Jessie returned in the same sultry voice Irena had used with her.

"Oh, really, I feel I must disagree. You see, I've studied you inside and out since I've been back. Oh, yes, Jessie, I've been here in Rockport for quite some time now. I know the way you think, the way you act, the way you move. I know everything there is to know about you. There's absolutely no way you can beat me. Do you see him? You do remember Milosh, don't you? Well, don't think he's the only backup I brought with me. I'm not that stupid. I knew that he would be simple enough for you to take on. There's plenty more where he came from, and you'll never know exactly where they are. They could be anywhere in this house, and you wouldn't know about them until it was too late. Don't you see? I have the upper hand here."

"Yeah, maybe you do. But I know something you don't. You've spent so much time paying attention to me, you forgot about him." Jessie said, pointing at the now free Jonny Quest.

"Wait…how…how did you do that!" Irena was obviously completely perplexed at the situation. She was once again under Jonny, with her knife now up against her own throat. There was horror in her eyes as she realized that he had a look in his eyes unlike any she had ever seen before. There was pure hatred and evil lurking in the depths of those sapphires of eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slice your throat right now!"

"Jonny, wait!" It was Jessie's voice he heard. When he looked up at her, he saw that she was now kneeling next to him. She brought her hand up to his face and turned his head until he was looking her in the eye.

"Jonny, if you do this, you'll be no better than her. You're so much better than that, Jonny. Don't let her get the best of you. Don't let her beat you!" She was speaking with the greatest amount of love and compassion for him in her voice, and her eyes were tender, yet held a level of ferocity in them. In one quick movement, he got off of Irena and threw the knife down at her side, purposefully causing it to land just centimeters from her body.

"Get…out…now." He said, with his hands balled so tightly into fists at his side that you could see his knuckles turning a ghostly white. Irena stood there, completely astounded at his actions. She was too dumbfounded for a moment to move. A moment was all Jonny needed.

"**_GET OUT!_**" He shouted at her so loudly that Will Hawkins could hear him from the driveway of the Quest Compound when he got out of his car. He could see the window to Jonny's bedroom open, and heard chaos coming out of it. Quickly, he ran into the house to see what was going on. By the time he got up the stairs and down the hall to Jonny's room, he and Jessie were on the floor in each other's arms, both with tears in her eyes.

"What happened? Are you two alright?" He asked, the worry evident in his voice.

"Yeah, Will, we're alright," came Jessie's quiet reply. Will could see that they were not exactly up for talking about what had just happened, so he went down to the kitchen to start a kettle with warm milk. Some homemade hot cocoa might do them some good right about now he thought.

Ten minutes later, he walked back into Jonny's bedroom with 2 steaming mugs full of hot cocoa to find them both in the same position he left them in. Quietly, he set the two mugs on the nightstand by the bed and slipped out, pulling the door shut behind him. Downstairs, he could hear Jessie's cell phone ringing. He paced over to where it was sitting, and stared at it uncertainly before finally picking it up and pressing the talk button.

"Hello?"

"Will, is that you? Are the kids alright? What happened?" Race's booming voice blared through the earpiece to the point where he had to hold the phone about five inches away from his ear to keep him from bursting his eardrum with his frantic questioning.

"Hey, Race, yes, Jonny and Jessie are alright. They're up in Jonny's room right now. I don't know what happened, but whatever it was shook them both up pretty good. When I got to the compound I saw them huddled together, both in tears, on the floor in Jonny's room."

"When was this?"

"I first found them like that about ten minutes ago when I got here. When I went to check up on them about a minute ago, they hadn't moved."

"Well, at least they're all right. Any sign of Irena?"

"No. When I got out of my car, I could hear Jonny yelling, but by the time I got up there, it was just the two of them."

"Alright, I think Benton and I are going to cut our trip short. We should be home tomorrow morning at the latest. I'll call and let you know if that changes."

"Ok, Race, that's fine. Do you want me to stay with the kids until then?"

"If you could, that would be great. I know it would soothe both my mind, as well as Benton's. Thanks, Will, this is helping a lot."

"It's no problem, Race. You know I would do anything for this family. After all, I owe you for your deciding not to start teaching martial arts. If you would have done that, I'd be out of a job."

"Ha! Yeah, you're probably right on that one. Alright, then, I guess we'll see you tomorrow. Bye, Will."

"Goodbye, Race."

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It had been nearly twenty minutes since she called Race, and Estella still hadn't heard back from him yet. By now she was worried that he hadn't gotten through to Jonny and Jessie, and that something had indeed happened to them. Picking up the cell on the small work table next to her, she warily walked back toward her tent for some privacy. Just as she was about to make her escape, she heard her name.

"Dr. Velasquez! We found something, Dr. Velasquez!"

"Yes, Roberto, what is it?" Estella inquired, only partially interested in whatever it was that had her archaeological assistant so crazed, something he never was.

"Well, Dr. Velasquez, it seems to be some sort of relic tomb. It holds hundreds of relics from an uncharted civilization. This could possibly end up being the discovery of all our careers! It's absolutely incredible!"

"Well, don't just stand there, take me to it!" She replied, now more interested in this new fining than she was a moment ago. Making sure she took the phone with her, she followed Roberto to the location of this relic tomb.

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"Race! There you are. Did you get a hold of the kids?" Dr. Quest's voice held a mixture of fear, uncertainty, and hope; but only the fear and uncertainty reached his eyes.

"Well, yes, and no. When I called Jessie's cell phone, Will answered. The kids are both alright, well, physically, anyway. He's going to stay with them until we can get home.

"Wait, what did you mean by 'physically'? What happened?"

"See, Doc, that's what we don't know. Will said that when he got to the house, he could hear shouting out of the open window in Jonny's room, but by the time he got up there is was just the kids, on the floor, in each other's arms, with tears in both their eyes. Apparently there was no sign of Irena other than the state he found our kids in. I guess we better finish packing up. I still need to call Estella and tell her that Jess and Jonny are all right. Are you sure you don't want, or need, to stay for the rest of the convention? I can fly back down here once I see for myself that the kids are okay and once I find out exactly what happened."

"No, Race, it's alright. I'd rather be with my son right now than at this dumb old convention with more science nerds like me. Besides, like you, I won't rest easy until I see for myself that they're both alright. Don't get me wrong, I trust the word of both Will and you, I just want to reassure myself and see it with my own eyes."

"Okay, then, just let me go call Stel, and then we can finish up and get the heck out of here quicker n' a bull chargin' at a red pickup." And with that, Race prodded off to call his wife. Reaching for the cell in his back pocket, he began to scroll through the speed dials until he reached the one he wanted and hit 'Send'.

"Race, is that you?" He heard the traces of eagerness and fear in his wife's voice.

"Yeah, Stel, it's me. Listen, the kids are all right. Will answered the phone when I tried to call Jessie. He said that by the time he got there, Irena was gone and he found Jonny and Jess on the ground, cryin' and holding each other. Benton and I are getting ready to leave Chicago now. I'll let you know when we get to the compound. Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, Love, that's alright. We just found a new, completely untouched relic tomb, and I really should be here for it. You'll be sure to call me when you find out what's going on, won't you?"

"Yes, Estella, I'll be sure to let you know. Good luck on your dig."

"Have a safe flight, Roger. I love you."

"I love you too, Stel, bye."

"Bye."


	4. Homecoming

Jonny Quest-Heart's Desire: Part 4

DISCLAIMER: These really do get old after the first couple times…okay, no own, no cash, all original characters are mine. Ask permission before using them.

**A/N- I know I stated this in the last chapter, but I will say it one more time just for the record: Will is indeed a MAN. I was doing a lot of editing of locations and characters before I posted the story, and Will's character was one of them. He was originally a totally different FEMALE character, and I guess I missed a few changes, which are all fixed now (I hope).**

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Early the next morning, Jessie dragged herself into the kitchen. Her legs felt like led. When she got to the kitchen she noticed someone else already sitting at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee and a section of the morning paper.

"Good morning, Jessie, did you sleep well?"

"Morning, Will. No, but I wish I had. I just couldn't seem to get my mind off of the look I saw in Jonny's eyes last night when he faced Irena. I've never seen him like that before. It…it scared me."

"What kind of look?"

"Well, it was like…I don't know, cold, I guess. Yeah, it was cold, and…evil. Like all he wanted to do was kill. It really scared me badly. I honestly thought he was going to kill her." Will could see the look of astonishment in Jessie's eyes as she attempted to describe the way Jonny had acted the previous night.

"Jessie, what happened last night? All I know is that your father called me, pleading with me to come over and check up on you two, and telling me that Irena was here. What happened, Jess?"

"Well, one minute Jonny and I were…well…together in his room…" Will knew exactly what Jessie was hinting at, and could see the blush begin to rise in her cheeks as she continued, "…and the next thing I know, Jonny and I were up against the wall, with Irena standing in the middle of the room, eyeing us. She and Jonny were engaged in a battle of wits and insults, so I slipped out of the room to the bathroom, though I doubt I was unnoticed, with my phone and called Mom, filling her in on what was going on and begging her to contact Dad for me. When I got back to Jonny's room, he and Irena were locked in some sort of staring contest; at least they were until Irena saw me walk back in. She lunged at me, intending on tackling me to the ground, I assume." Jessie took a shaky breath, trying to figure out the best way to relay the full story without falling to peices._ Come on, you're a Bannon! Suck it up!_ Seeing Jessie's discomfort, Will gently urged her on. When she looked up, she saw his eyes gently comforting her, letting her know that it was all okay. Taking one final breath, she continued.

"Well, Jonny saw that and tackled her before she could get to me. Jonny yelled at me to run because Irena was struggling against him and I guess he figured he couldn't hold her down much longer. Apparently, he was right, because she suddenly flipped him over so that she was straddling him in the same way he was with her. That stunned me so bad that I didn't even think to move. I just stood there and watched, which was stupid, because suddenly Milosh, the guy Jonny and I met when we met Irena in Prague, came at me from behind and grabbed me so hard that I couldn't break free no matter how hard I struggled. I quit struggling, knowing that it wasn't doing me any good, and looked over at Jonny and Irena. She had a knife in her hand, and bent over to Jonny and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was really got to him though, because that is what got him going and brought him to the look he had in his eyes that I was telling you about." At this point, it was getting even more difficult for Jessie to recapthe previous night's events. However, she continued on, knowing thatit needed to get out.

"Milosh relaxed his grip slightly because I had stopped struggling. I took a chance and slammed his foot with mine, then elbowed him in the groin. While he was doubled over in pain, I took the time to turn around to knock him out. I pulled his ski mask off and that's when I realized who he was. Well, anyway, I knocked him out and then turned toward Jonny and Irena, prepared to go at it with her. She noticed this and warned me not to do it, making it a point to be sure that I saw the knife that was in her hand now up against Jonny's throat. She and I just kind of glared at each other for a moment, then I asked her what she wanted, she said that she wanted me dead and Jonny all to herself, then the next thing she knows, Jonny is out of her grip and ready to kill her. Like I said before, you could see it in his eyes. She had focused so much of her concentration on me that she was forgetting about Jonny. That was all he needed to get his chance at getting free of her. Jonny was back on top of Irena again, this time with the knife she had just held to his throat now held against her own. I pleaded with him to stop, telling him that if he killed her, that he would be no better than her. The thing is, he is so much better than her. I just couldn't let her get the best of him. It took everything he had to get off of her and that's when he yelled at her to get out. By this time, Milosh was coming to again, and she motioned to him to follow her and they left through the window. Irena did at one point warn us that there were others like the guy she had with her somewhere hidden in the compound, but I guess it was just a bluff, because we never saw anyone else. And that's pretty much when you walked in, right after Irena left." Jessie took an exasperated breath, signaling the completion of her long tale. She hadn't realized just how much had happened the night before until she had to tell it to someone else.

"Well, Jessie, it seems to me that you and Jonny had quite a night last night. Is he alright?"

"I think so. He was still asleep when I came down. I should probably go back up and check on him, though. I really don't want to leave him alone for too long." Jessie said, and headed back up the stairs after retrieving a cup of coffee for herself and another one for Jonny. Once in the hallway, Jessie noticed that the door to Jonny's bedroom was now open. _Hmm, I guess I forgot to close that when I went down to the kitchen_. Quickly, she walked toward the room, careful not to spill the two cups of steaming java in her hands.

"Jonny, are you there? I brought you some coffee."

"Hmm? Oh, hey, Jess, coffee sounds great."

"Jonny, are you okay? You were blazing pretty big last night."

"Yeah, Ace, I guess I'm okay."

"You don't sound very convincing, Hotshot. What did Irena say to you last night? Whatever it was had to have been pretty big for you to go off at her like that. I've never seen you act like that. It's like, all you wanted to do was kill her, and you couldn't think of anything else. You had this cold, almost evil look in your eyes. It really scared me to see you like that, Jonny. Come on, you know you can tell me anything."

"Jessie, I really don't want to talk about it! I'll be okay!" Jonny shouted, trying to get her to back off. Jessie couldn't believe he had just yelled at her like that. It was bad enough that he had let loose on Irena last night, but he just yelled at **_HER!_**

"Okay, I'll leave you alone, then." She stated dejectedly, the pain evident in her voice and her eyes. Jonny saw this and immediately regretted it. He moved toward her quickly, grabbing her gently by the hand as she turned away, and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, Jess, I'm so sorry." Jonny kept whispering this mantra into the crook of her neck repeatedly in a shaky voice. He never intended to yell at her, and it killed him inside to know that he had hurt her like that. Not knowing what else he could do to convince her that he didn't mean it the way it came out, he just held on to her.

"It's alright, Hotshot. I understand. You probably need some time alone to sort some things out. If you need me, just let me know." She told him, first kissing him lightly on the forehead, then turning once again to walk out of the room.

"No, Jess, wait. I'm sorry. It's just…argh! What she said to me last night, well, it was the last straw. I'm sorry it scared you, and I'm SO sorry I yelled at you like that. I don't want you to leave, and the LAST thing I need right now is time alone. Please, Jess, stay with me. I need you right now." He pleaded with her desperately, almost afraid that if he let her go now, she'd never come back.

"Now, how can I resist those beautiful eyes when they look at me like that?" And with that, she pulled him back to her and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then, she just held him tightly, never wanting to let go.

"What did Irena say to you, Jonny? You know you can tell me."

"I know I can. It's just so difficult to even think about it, let alone say it out loud. I don't know, Jess. I guess what she said to me was just too much for me to handle."

"Jonny, it will feel like less to handle if you have someone else handling it with you. Come on, just tell me. It's not like things will get worse if you tell me. I can help you, but you need to let me. Don't go through this and try to deal with it by yourself. That's what I'm here for."

"Hmm, fine, I'll tell you. You probably won't leave me be about it until I tell you anyway. You remember how she had that knife in her hand, right? Well, while that guy had a firm grip on you, she motioned toward the knife and said to me 'Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to make you watch while I kill her.' Jessie, when she said that, I snapped. It was like London all over again! I wouldn't let her hurt you again. Like I said before, I **_CAN'T_** let her hurt you again." Jonny looked up at her, expecting to see disappointment, or disapproval, in her eyes. That was the last thing he wanted to see in her, especially directed toward him. He was afraid that she would have thought that he had done wrongly by going after Irena like that, or that she would think him weak and unable to hold himself back. But the reaction he got surprised him.

"Oh, Jonny! Is that what pushed you over the edge? Jonny, I'm so sorry! I wish you would have told me sooner. You know I'm always here for you, and you should know that I could never think less of you, especially when you're acting out of love." She said to him, almost as if reading his mind, knowing what he was thinking.

"Thanks, Jess, that's good to know."

"Come on, let's go downstairs. Will's still here, and we could both probably use something to eat."

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"Ok, Benton, we're about ten minutes out yet. Could you call Will and let him know for me?"

"Sure, Race, that's no problem. That's probably a good idea. Besides, I want to let the kids know so that they'll be out at the hangar to meet us."

"You and me both, Benton, you and me both," the burly bodyguard replied.

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It was about ten o' clock in the morning at the Quest Compound when the phone rang. Will Hawkins figured it to be Dr. Quest and Race, so he headed toward the phone to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Will, it's Benton. I just wanted to let you know that we're about ten minutes out from the hangar where we dock the Dragonfly. Were you and the kids planning on meeting us there?"

"Absolutely, Benton, we're on our way." He hung up the phone and called to Jonny and Jessie to get moving.

"Hey, Will, was that Dad on the phone?" Jonny asked, appearing to be pretty much back to himself, although inside he was still far from it.

"It sure was, Jonny. He and Race are about ten minutes away from the hangar. So we had better get going if we want to meet them there."

"Okay, I'll go get Jess and we'll meet you at the door." Jonny flew up the stairs and into Jessie's room, announcing to her that they were leaving to meet their fathers, then back down, with his girlfriend in tow, to the front door, where Will was waiting for them. Together, the three of them skidded out of the driveway and toward the hangar. At once, Will and Jessie knew it was a mistake to allow Jonny to drive. Even though he did now have his license, he had only had it for a couple of months. He took no precautions during this particular trip, and it was obvious to the two with him that he was exceptionally anxious to greet his father.

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"**_HOW COULD OUR PLAN HAVE FAILED?"_** The furious young brunette shouted at everyone in the room.

"Chill out, Kafka. We'll have other chances, you know," came the voice of Milosh. He was lounging lazily in one of the many folding chairs lying in the large room they were all now congregated in. Several others in the room, mainly the computer geniuses and more big guys, agreed to the first man's statement with "yeah" and "that's right" being heard all around the room.

"Chill out…chill out? Those two brats almost killed us last night, and you want me to **_CHILL OUT_**?" Irena's shrill reply caused everyone to involuntarily wince. With the exception of Milosh, no one in the room could ever guess how she could have possibly appeared so kind and innocent to the Quests for so long. The only traits they ever saw in her were anger and hatred.

"Yeah, actually, I do. Listen, we'll have other opportunities to get those dumb Quest brats, and when we do, they'll wish they never met you."

"Fine…I guess you're probably right. But I'm not going to 'chill out' until we have the heads of the entire Quest family on one large silver platter, and Jonny Quest as mine forever…got it?" Irena stormed out of the room with a huff, determined to figure out a new strategy on how to get everything she wanted.

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The instant Race stepped out of the Dragonfly, Jessie was in his arms. Race wholeheartedly returned her tight embrace, feeling as though he couldn't let go even if he wanted to, which he didn't. The fact that she was here and all right was such a relief to him. He shuddered at the thought of losing her again, especially to Irena.

"Jessie, oh Jessie. Baby, are you okay? God, I was so worried about you."

"Yeah, Daddy, I'm fine. I'm just glad you're home."

"I've only been gone for a day, Jess."

"I know, but after last night, I really need you here." Race could hear the tremble in her voice, even if she didn't show it in her face. _That's my girl_ he thought, _never showing others just how bad she's really doing. Maybe she really is a little too much like me_.

"It's okay, Ponchita, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. Why don't we just go home and we can talk about it then, okay?" His response from her was a quick nod. Together, still keeping hold of one another, they walked toward the others, where Jonny and Dr. Quest were having a reunion much of the same sort.

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Estella's mind kept reeling over the conversation she had just had with her husband hours ago. He had called that morning to let her know that he had gotten home safely and to tell her what their daughter had told him about what had happened. She couldn't believe what he was saying happened. Had Jonny really almost gone off the deep end with Irena? Race said that what Jessie told him was that what Irena said to Jonny is what got him going, although she didn't tell him what Irena had said to him. Both Race and Estella figured that Jessie knew more than she was letting on to, but they decided not to push the matter, knowing that if their daughter were keeping Jessie's behavior when he and Benton arrived at the hangar, and how shaken up she was acting. She knew that for Jessie, whatever happened with Irena had to have been pretty big for her to be behaving like that. She decided that despite the discoveries going on at the dig site, she needed to be home right now. Her daughter needed her now, and she wasn't about to put anything above Jessie. Race agreed to that and told her that he would be there to pick her up within a day. She agreed and hung up, saying that she would see him soon.

Bringing her mind back to the present, Estella continued to explain to her assistant exactly what she expected of him, and made sure to let him know that he needed to call her every day and fill her in on what was going on. He agreed and left her to her packing. With it already dusk, she knew that she needed to hurry up and finish packing. Race could be here at any time and she didn't want to stay any longer than she absolutely had to, knowing that her daughter was back home and needed her.

"There, that's the last of it. Now all I need to do is wait for Race." As if on cue, she heard the sound of a rusty, old jeep pulling into camp. She was outside in an instant, searching frantically for her husband. Without warning, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind, startling her. Although she knew immediately who it was, seeing as how she would know Race's touch and scent anywhere, she used a move he had taught her to flip him over her shoulder onto the ground.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Stel. Well, glad to see you remembered how to do that." Race groaned, lifting himself off of the dusty ground of the excavation site.

"Haha. That's what you get for sneaking up on an edgy redhead." She retaliated with a knowing smirk on her face that drove her husband crazy.

"Haha, very funny, Stel. How did you know that it was me?" Race asked, curious to know how his wife was able to so easily identify him, after he had spend countless months in training while he was in the SEAL's and the agency to ensure that this very thing wouldn't happen.

"Oh, come on, Race, I know your touch, not to mention, your scent. You know, that cologne you always use that never ceases to drive me crazy. If you really want to sneak up on me like that, don't wear that cologne!" Race could see the amorous grin on his wife's face as she said this. Giving a grin of his own, he bent down to her and placed his lips passionately against hers. Together, they remained like that for a few moments until the sound of a throat clearing interrupted them. Looking up, Estella saw Roberto standing there, looking slightly embarrassed at his intrusion.

"What is it, Roberto?"

"Well, um, Dr. Velasquez, I just wanted to give a final once-over with you on the checklist of what needs to be done while you are away."

"Alright, but quickly, we've probably taken longer than we should have, anyway." At this, Roberto gave each of them a knowing look, signaling to them that he figured he knew the reason why they had taken as long as they have. Race watched the two for a moment, before losing them altogether in the conversation. Deciding upon making some use of himself, he made his way toward Estella's tent, where he began retrieving her belongings and placing them in the jeep he had driven to the site. Moments later, he completed his task and turned to see Estella standing before him, obviously prepared to leave, Race concluded, seeing her posture and the almost impatient façade on her face. Together, they hopped over each side of the open-topped jeep, completely bypassing the doors located on the vehicle, and sped off toward the airport where Race had the Dragonfly docked.

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By the time Race and Estella landed, Jessie was already at a run, half-way between the landing point and where she had been standing earlier with Dr. Quest and Jonny. Estella saw this and immediately matched her daughter's pace, just as eager to embrace her as Jessie clearly was. Mother and daughter met and grabbed hold of each other in a tight hug. It appeared to the men of the Quest Team that they would seemingly never let go. It was quite a sight to behold. Both mother and daughter, nearly identical in appearance, locked together tightly in each other's arms. Faintly, they could see Estella's lips moving, signaling that she was speaking to Jessie

"Jessie, are you alright?" Jessie heard the unmistakable worry in the tone of her mother's voice. She was certain of the level of worry her mother was carrying when she was pulled tighter into their embrace.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm okay. Now that you're here, I'm fine." She replied, uncertain of the tone of her own voice. Jessie tried desperately to hide the tremble and the hint of fear in her face and voice. But Estella knew better. If there was anyone who could see past Jessie's façades, it was her. She had spent enough time with Race to figure out when he was hiding his emotions to know when her own daughter was doing it. After all, father and daughter were exactly alike in that sense. _Maybe too much alike, at times_ she thought to herself.

"Come on, let's go home." Together, Jessie and Estella walked toward where the others were standing. At that point, they realized just how much time they had spent just holding each other. When they reached the rest of the team, they noticed that Race had already unloaded the belongings Estella had brought with her, and re-loaded it into the Quest van that was waiting for them nearby. This was one of the few times, to Estella's surprise and amusement, that Race allowed someone other than him to take care of the Dragonfly. She knew that Race trusted no one but himself and the kids with something as important to him as that plane. It was his special toy, aside from his car, of course.

Together, the Quest Team, minus Hadji, piled into the Quest van and started back toward the compound.

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**A/N- PLEASE review! I need to know if you all are liking this story. If I don't start getting some reviews, I'll assume you don't like it and I'll quit working on it. Let me know what you're thinking. Is it good? Bad? Too Unrealistic? Too Boring? Tell me, and I'll work on changing it in coming chapters. Also, tell me what you want to see happen. I may need a little help on ideas for upcoming chapters and your input would be a lot of help! FLAMES ACCEPTED...as long as the criticism is constructive at some point ).**


	5. Talking it Out

Jonny Quest-Heart's Desire: Part 5

DISCLAIMER: How many times must I say it? JQ and friends do NOT belong to me. Plotline and all original characters are the property of…ech-hem…_me_. JQ belongs to Hanna-Barbara.

Hadji sat in the throne room at the palace in Bangalore, trying desperately to pay attention to what his council was saying. But he was failing quite miserably, due to the fact that he was unable to get his betrothed, Rhianna, off his mind. That, and he hadn't slept well for a couple days, though he couldn't figure out why. He just knew that there was something very wrong, and it was keeping him from getting a restful night's sleep. The sound of the overbearing door to the throne room startled him abruptly out of his reverie. The look of concern on his mother's normally calm and serene face immediately brought him back to his full senses. He raised himself out of a sitting position and stood formally to receive her.

"What is it, Mother? Has something happened?"

"My son, a call was just received from the Quest Compound. Estella was on the phone saying that something had happened and that you needed to call as soon as you were available to do so." This information interested the Royal Council, although Hadji could tell that they were more annoyed at the fact that the Regent had interrupted their meeting to inform the sultan of a personal call. One of the council members, at this, stood and took a formal stance. Turning to Neela, he addressed her with respect, yet with a tone of snideness and annoyance plain in his voice.

"Regent Singh, is it truly necessary to inform the Sultan of personal matters while he is thoroughly engaged in a council meeting of the highest priority. Gatherings such as this one are not meant to be interrupted to inform anyone of a personal call…not even the Sultan, Excellency."

"I assure you, I would not have intruded on this meeting if I did not consider this matter of great importance. My son's American family would not call, stating a problem, unless the problem in question was of great importance. The Quests obviously consider it necessary to inform my son of this problem, and I must then consider it necessary, as well." Neela regarded her addresser in a state of supremacy and superiority before turning back to Hadji.

"I apologize for the interruption, Excellency. I will leave you to your business now."

"Thank you, Mother," Hadji returned, giving the slightest head-nod and bow to his mother. As she turned and walked out of the door she had come through moments before, he followed her with his eyes, until the door was once again shut.

"Now, Excellency, as I was saying…" began the middle-aged man who had addressed Neela. Hadji raised his hand, signaling the man to cease, and spoke to him in the same manner his mother had a moment ago.

"That is enough. I have heard all of your arguments, and I will take them into consideration. But know that, for the moment, I still intend to use a portion of the taxation money to build a better education system that will be affordable to even the poorer part of our population. We are finished here. Ah…and one more thing…never speak to my mother in a manner such as the one which was used with her today. Alright, you may leave." The council members were shocked at the fact that the sultan had just defended the Regent for intruding on a meeting, especially considering she was a stone wall when it came to following tradition. This she had shown many times when arguing with her son on matters of Bangalore. Surely she would know that there were to be penalties when anyone…especially a woman…were to interrupt council meetings for any reason other than an urgent matter needing immediate attention.

Stepping out of the circle of dazed and confused council members, Hadji made his way to his private living quarters to call his family. Then, it dawned on him at just how bad whatever had happened had to have been. Estella was the one who called, and he knew that she was supposed to be at a dig. That sent warning bells off in his head. If Estella was home, whatever this problem was must have been pretty bad.

Quickening his pace, Hadji reached for the door to his quarters and turned the doorknob, completely disregarding the guards stationed on both sides of it. Abruptly, he entered his quarters, shut the door, and proceeded toward the desk where he kept his vid-phone equipment. He dialed the number to the compound, and waited impatiently for someone to answer. Much to his relief, Race's face appeared on the screen. That's when more warning bells went off. He was supposed to be in Chicago with Dr. Quest for a convention. This he remembered because he had wanted to go desperately, but was unable to because he had obligations in Bangalore, and his presence there was required right now.

"Hey, Hadj, what's up?"

"Actually, Race, I called to ask you that same question. Estella spoke to my mother, who told me to call when I had a free moment. What is wrong? If Estella called, then something must be wrong. Otherwise, she would be at her dig site, not at home in Rockport. And you are home as well. Shouldn't you be in Chicago with Dr. Quest? Race, did something happen?"

"Yeah, Hadji, something happened. But don't worry, we're all okay. I didn't know Stel called you. Well, while the doc and I were in Chicago, Jonny and Jess were attacked here at the compound. The night after we left, Irena attacked them here. According to them, she brought another guy with him, my size, is what they're saying. Jessie managed to pull away for a moment and called Estella, telling her to call me since she figured she would be unable to reach me. So Stel called me and filled me in on what was going on, then I called Will and asked her to come check on the kids. By the time Will got here and up to Jonny's room where Jonny and Jessie were, Irena and her flunky were gone. Everything else is just little details that we don't need to get into now. The Doc and I flew back, then I flew down and picked up Estella. I guess that's when she called you. And, that's about it."

"Are Jonny and Jessie alright?" Race could tell that Hadji was very concerned about his two best friends, and he didn't bother to hide it.

"Yeah, they're fine. Physically they're okay. Psychologically, though, is a different story. It's going to take Jonny a while to get through this."

"Do I need to return?"

"I really don't think it'll be necessary, kiddo. I mean, you can if you want to, but you've probably still got a lot to handle there. We can hold down the fort. Honestly, we'll be okay."

"Alright, Race, I know you're probably right. Are Jonny and Jessie there? I'd like to speak to them if possible and assure myself that they are alright. I trust your word, of course, but…"

"…But you'd rather see for yourself just for the sake of knowing for sure. I know, kiddo. Trust me, I've been there many times. No, they both just headed to bed not too long ago. Do you want me to have them call you later?"

"Yes, please do, Race. I'm glad that they are alright. I will speak with you later then. Tell Father and Estella I said 'hello' as well."

"I'll do that. I'll see you later, Hadji."

"Goodbye, Race."

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Jessie tossed and turned in her bed. She knew Jonny wasn't sleeping well either by the restless sounds coming from the room next to her own, and that wasn't helping to ease her own restless mind. Outside, the moon shone brightly down onto the beach and the coastal waves. Gleaming light streamed through her open window, blanketing parts of her room with a dim illumination. Throwing the thin sheet covering her away from her body, Jessie gently and tiredly lifted herself out of bed and rested herself in the window seat. When she peered out at the coastline, she could see a figure walking around. She guessed by the build and by the way the figure moved, that it was her father. The giveaway was his hair gleaming in the light of the nighttime moon. As quickly as her tired legs could carry her, she paced to her door and opened it, preparing to meet up with her father outside. Jessie plodded down the stairs and through the large compound to the back door, where she stepped outside into the cooling night air of summer and made her way to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean.

Once down at the beach, Jessie could see Race sitting on the rocks, seemingly lost in thought. Stepping lightly, making sure to refrain from stepping on any sharp shells or jagged rocks with her bare feet, she headed toward where Race was sitting. It wasn't until she sat down beside him that he really took in her presence. When he looked over at her, he saw her bright green eyes reflecting worry, as well as the moonlight. Smiling at her reassuringly, he pulled her closer to him until she was leaning up against him, while still wrapped up in his arm. For what seemed like years, they sat there in comfortable silence, just staring out at the ocean reflecting the moon and all the stars. The sounds of waves gently crashing on the rocks reached their ears in a soothing melody. Jessie was about to say something when Race broke the silence.

"Jess, can I ask you something?" Race's words were spoken in such a soft tone that Jessie almost had to strain to hear him. He spoke almost as if he were trying to calm a restless baby. This was, what she imagined, how he had spoken to her when she was a baby.

"Sure, Dad, what's up?"

"Honey, how are you doing? I know this hasn't been easy on you. Irena's out for blood, particularly yours. I don't care what she says, she's up to something. You don't need to act so brave all the time, Jessie. You know, your mother's absolutely right. When it comes to showing fear, you're exactly like me. You try to hide your fear and act brave for the sake of yourself and others. I do the same thing. I just want to know if you're really as okay as you say you are. I'm worried about you, Jess. Don't hide your fear with me, just let me know how you really are." Jessie could tell that she wasn't going to get out of this one with another 'I'm fine'. The only way out of this would be to tell her father how she really was, and she knew that. So with an exasperated sigh, she answered him, choosing her words carefully.

"I'm…well…when Irena showed up, I was terrified. I know what she's capable of, and, to tell you the absolute truth, she scares me. I just…I don't know. Now, it's like I can't close my eyes without thinking about everything that's happened with her, or seeing her face. And after this past occurrence, I can't get thoughts of Jonny in Cairo, and here at the compound a couple days ago out of my head. I keep thinking that if he ever sees her again, he won't even bother trying to stay neutral with her. Like, next time he sees her, he'll just try to kill her without even saying a word. I'm scared, Daddy. I'm so scared." Her last words came out just above a whisper, and Race knew that she was on the verge of breaking down. Pulling her tighter into him, he wrapped his other arm around her and placed his chin on her head. Through the thin t-shirt he was wearing, Race could feel a wet spot, and he knew that it was his daughter's tears.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart, I am, too. Every time I think about Irena, my heart constricts and drops to my stomach. Jessie, every time we've seen her, your life has been endangered, and that terrifies me. When your mother called me and told me that she was here, I was so afraid that I wouldn't make it home in time. All I could do was hope that I wouldn't come home to find you gone, or worse. Baby, I worry about you. And I know that in most cases you can take care of yourself, but that doesn't stop me from worrying, especially where Irena Kafka is concerned. Hey, I'm your father, it's what I do. Oh, Jessie, I just love you so much, and I can't even bear to think about my life without you in it."

"I love you, too, Daddy." Race couldn't believe that his seventeen-year-old daughter was still calling him 'daddy', not that he was complaining. Father and daughter stayed there, just drinking in their special time together. Over the course of the rest of the night, they talked about everything. The most interesting topic of the night was the relationships in the Quest Team. They talked about Jonny and Jessie's relationship, Race and Estella's, Hadji and Rhianna's, and even the still blossoming relationship between Dr. Quest and Elena Statsny. Everyone in the Quest Team, except for Dr. Quest, saw that there were definitely sparks between them, and that the attractive President of the Czech Republic had feelings for Dr. Quest. Other subjects of conversation included plans for Jonny and Jessie's senior year of high school, the trip they were all taking to Rome the next week, and the science convention in Chicago that they ended up cutting abruptly short. The one topic that was not visited the rest of the night was Irena Kafka. The duo didn't even notice the first signs of the sunrise until golden and red rays were shining brightly over the reflective ocean. Together they sat down on the beach to watch the sunrise, which is where they ended up falling asleep.

Benton and Estella found them like that two hours later. Estella marveled at the sight of her husband and their daughter asleep in each others arms on the sand. Dr. Quest just chuckled and shook his head in amazement at how a man as intimidating as Race Bannon could look so…cute.

Jonny was headed down to the beach moments later, wondering where everyone in his family went. He didn't wonder long. He saw his father and Estella standing over what appeared to be Jessie and Race, and his face went white as a sheet. Worry overtook everything else he was feeling. Wanting to know if they were both…okay, Jonny quickly hurried to where the two adults were standing. Relief washed over him when he saw the amused looks on their faces and the calm appearance of the sleeping pair. Seeing this, Dr. Quest smiled warmly at his son.

"Relax, Son, they're fine."

"So this is why Race didn't come to bed last night. Not that I blame him, of course. He and Jessie probably needed some much-deserved father-daughter time together."

"You mean to tell me that they were out here all night?" Jonny sounded awed at Estella's comment. He had always known Race to be very strict on making sure that he and Jessie were both sleeping at night.

"Yeah, kiddo, we were out here all night." All were somewhat startled at the sound of Race's voice coming from the ground by their feet. Sure enough, when they all looked down, icy blue-grey eyes were staring back at them, and a pair of emerald green pools were beginning to show themselves on the redhead's face, as well.

"Come on, you two. Let's get back up to the house, then you can either wake yourselves up, or head back to bed. Well, I guess it wouldn't be 'back' to bed, would it?" Estella gave a small laugh at her own revelation, which gave her husband a renewed sense of energy. Jessie also seemed to be gaining the sense of energy that her father had, which appeared to be contagious. Jonny held out his hand to help his girlfriend get to a standing position, whereas Race lazily picked himself up without any assistance from Estella, seeing as how he would probably pull her down with him instead of her pulling him up.

"Actually, Mom, I don't think I'll need anymore rest. I'm feeling pretty good right now." Jessie replied, shooting her father a soft look and a warm smile, which he noticed and returned, silently echoing her comment with a nod. Together, the five members of the Quest Team walked the beach for a while, just spending time together outside.

"So, Race, what did you and Jessie talk about while you were out here all night?" Dr Quest inquired innocently to his bodyguard and closest friend.

"Well, Benton, we talked about everything." Race replied with a contented smile as he draped his arms around his wife's waist from behind and turned toward the horizon, now brightly lit with mid-day sunshine as opposed to the moonlit artwork he and his daughter had witnessed hours ago. Jonny, who held Jessie's hand lovingly in his own, pulled her along ahead of the rest of the group.

"Hey, Jess, come with me for a sec. I want to show you these awesome rock formations out on the cliff up here." Jonny stated, pointing ahead of them toward a stretch of the cliff that they hadn't really ever taken the time to thoroughly explore and familiarize themselves with.

"Alright! See you guys later!" Jessie called behind her, as Jonny pulled her gently behind him.

"Be careful, you two!" Race hollered at them, not sure that they heard him. Confirmation that they had heard him was given when his daughter gave a quick wave behind her while continuing along at a quick pace, now along-side her boyfriend.

"You know, I swear sometimes I think those two never pay attention to a word we say." The Bannons heard Benton proclaim amusingly. They both smirked and nodded their agreement to his accurate statement.

"That's for sure, Benton!" Race exclaimed.

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"Well, what do you think, Ace?" Jonny asked his girlfriend hopefully.

"Jonny! It's absolutely incredible! How did you find this?" Jessie couldn't believe the beauty that showed forth in the unique rock formations that Jonny had led her to. Each jagged rock had it's own form, and it's own beauty. The majesty of every formation Jessie laid her eyes on left her at a loss for words.

"Well, I was out here just checking all this out," Jonny raised his arms out in display to show the expanse of ground that they could see, "and I found this last week. Isn't it completely amazing? I just couldn't wait until I got a chance to show this to you. Do you like it?"

"I love it, Hotshot…almost as much as I love you!" Jessie stated, closing the rapidly minimizing space between them. She placed her arms around his neck, while his were making their way around their waist. As their faces neared, Jessie could hear Jonny whispering to her.

"I love you, too, Jessie." With that, their lips met for a quick, yet loving kiss.

"Mmmm, maybe I should find new places more often." Jonny said in satisfaction, with a trademark lopsided grin gracing his lips.

"But why? This one's perfect!" Jessie retorted with a grin of her own. Together, they continued to explore the rock formations, stopping one another when they found something of interest.

"So, Ace, are you ready to go to Rome next week?"

"Absolutely! I need to get away from here for a little while, you know? Just…away from the hassle of our lives for a bit. I'm just tired of dealing with everything. The other night was the last straw. We need a break."

"Yeah, I agree with you there. Let's just hope that Irena doesn't know that we're leaving. Otherwise, we're screwed."

"Hmm, yeah, don't I know it. Come on. As much as I would love to stay here longer, we should probably get back home. Our parents are probably wondering where we went off to. Besides, I still have a lot of packing to do before we leave, and I **_KNOW_** you still have it all to do." That last part was added with a knowing smile and a slightly smug, yet playful and loving, tone in her voice. Jonny laughed aloud at that statement, confirming with his eyes and the grin on his face that she was correct. With Jonny's arm wrapped around Jessie's waist, and her head resting lightly on his shoulder, the young couple made their way back to the safety of the Quest Compound.


End file.
